 |
|
|
|
Research | Meteorology | Energy - Research projects - NEW ICETOOLS
NEW ICETOOLS
ICING of wind turbines is a complex problem for safety and operation. These problems can be minimised by proper design, by using e.g. blade heating systems and ice free wind sensors, and by good siting.
NEW ICETOOLS project aimed to produce tools and information to improve safety, availability and reliability of wind turbines and their components and thus improve the economics of wind power production in icing environments. The NEW ICETOOLS -project (2002-2004) was partially supported by the European Comission DG TREN under the contract NNE5-2001-259.
Project summary
There is a growing interest in EU to build wind power plants at inland sites and especially within mountainous regions, and also in the far north. Typical for such sites are not only low air temperatures but also icing of blades and other components. These climate conditions make new requirements to design of wind turbines and their components, to wind power assessment and wind measurements, and to economical optimisation.
From the previous EU projects and some national projects there are quite much theoretical and even some experimental data on wind turbines operating under such climatic and weather conditions. There have also been some improvements in producing ice-free wind sensors for wind energy assessment and operation of turbines, blade heating systems and codes to estimate loads and power production under icing conditions. However, it seems that wind turbine and component industry, and operators are poorly aware about occurrence and frequency of icing periods in various parts of Europe, not only in far North but also in most southern parts. The also seems to be lack in knowledge of technical solutions already available, experiences in operation of different types of turbines under icing conditions, and also about safety problems caused especially through iced blades.
The overall objective of the New Icetools project was to introduce state-of-the-art information and to develop and improve tools suitable for manufacturers, operators, developers and consultants to exploit wind energy utilisation in hostile terrain and ice-endangered sites, based on earlier work in the EU WECO (JOR3-CT95-0014, 1996-1998) and other European research projects.
New findings, tools and recommendations were produced within the project. It was possible to collect data from different types of wind power plants operated in different parts of Europe under different types of icing climate. Data was used to verify the codes available and improve the tools to predict loads, power production, heating demand on blades and other components. A tool to estimate wind energy production in cold climates was developed based on performance statistics of existing turbines in Finland, Germany and Sweden. New principle to calculate rotor ice induced loads and to measure ice loads was developed and was used to draft a new recommendation for ice load cases for wind turbines. To get more operational data questionnaires were sent especially to power plants operated under icing conditions. The dissemination of the questionnaire was established by using different ways of distribution, e.g. via electronic mail, telephone contacts, announcements in conference presentations, in printed articles magazines, etc. Information from the operators concerning their experience on icing events and cold climate problems was collated and market analysis for cold climate turbines in EU-25 was produced. A new icing map over Europe with number of icing days per month was produced based on synoptic and climatic data. Icing measurements were performend at several test sites in Europe, which improved knowledge on meteorological conditions during icing events.
The project results show convincingly that there is a market and need for wind turbines, which are designed and manufactured for climatic conditions with icing and low temperatures. These markets are found at high latitudes, in Alps, Central European and British highlands and at the southern European mountains. Especially most of the new EU member states, as well as the candidate states, have significant part of their wind energy potential at mountainous regions. The potential of cold climate wind energy is well comparable to that of offshore wind energy in Europe, both in terms of energy production and meeting the targets of Kyoto protocol.
Development of wind power production at remote mountainous sites will produce direct and indirect opportunities for entrepreneurship and new jobs supporting the development of remote comunities. Manufacturing of adapted wind technology, like ice free wind sensors and blade heating systems, has a potential to create new jobs.
The results are valid also for cold climate regions outside Europe.
New Icetools project report is available (on sale)
Please contact: Ms. Kirsi Kari (email firstname.lastname@fmi.fi)
Project Co-ordinator:
Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland
More information:
Bengt Tammelin
(email firstname.lastname@fmi.fi)
Contractors:
FOI, Sweden
VTT Processes, Finland
IMG, Austria
ENAIRGY, Austria
ISET, Germany
Links to other research:
IEA-Annex XIX "Wind Energy in Cold Climates"
FMI WECO
Back to the page Research projects
Back to top Home page
|
|
|
|
| 
Olos test site (Lentokuva Vallas Oy) |
|
|
|